College of Nursing Professor Named to AAN 2016 Fellows Class

Gordon Gillespie, PhD, associate professor and deputy director of the Occupational Health Nursing Program at the University of Cincinnati (UC) College of Nursing has been named to the American Academy of Nursing (AAN) 2016 class of fellows. Gillespie is one of 164 highly distinguished nurse leaders to be so honored.

Gillespie’s research focuses on the prevention of workplace violence committed by patients and visitors against emergency department employees. His leadership in workplace violence prevention led to his induction as a fellow into the Academy of Emergency Nursing, receipt of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Ohio Emergency Nurses Association and recognition as a 2015 Ohio Nurse of the Year in emergency nursing by the Ohio March of Dimes.

"Becoming a fellow in the American Academy of Nursing acknowledges the impact of my research in the area of workplace violence against health care workers on a national and international level,” he says. "The greatest part for me is the opportunity to be closer to thought leaders in the country and leveraging these connections and new credentials to keep discussions of preventing workplace violence in healthcare settings on the national agenda.”

Fellow selection criteria include evidence of significant contributions to nursing and health care, and sponsorship by two current Academy fellows. Applicants are reviewed by a panel comprised of elected and appointed fellows and selection is based, in part, on the extent the nominee's nursing career has influenced health policies and the health and wellbeing of all.

"I am delighted to welcome this superb cohort of talented clinicians, researchers, policy leaders, educators and executives as they join the ranks of the nation's leading nursing and health care thought leaders," says Bobbie Berkowitz, PhD, RN, AAN President. "We look forward to celebrating their accomplishments at our conference, and then working with them to advance the Academy's mission of transforming health policy and practice by applying our collective nursing knowledge."

Gillespie and the other inductees will be honored at a ceremony during the Academy's annual policy conference, Transforming Health, Driving Policy, which will take place October 20–22, 2016 in Washington, D.C.